The invention relates to a cup feeding apparatus, and more particularly to a cup feeing apparatus for feeding a cup based on the rotation torque of a motor.
In conventional cup-type vending machines, cups for receiving a beverage are stacked on one another and stored in a cup storing section. Upon the receipt of a request for selling, one cup is separated from the stacked cups and fed to a cup stage.
In recent years, the diversification of cup-type beverages has been advanced and has led to the appearance of a cup-type vending machine which can selectively feed a cup of size S, M, or L according to the selected type of cup-type beverage. In this cup-type vending machine, a mechanism for separating cups is provided for each of the cup sizes, and, upon the receipt of a request for selling, the cup separating mechanism corresponding to the selected beverage is driven, and separates and feeds one cup from the stacked cups.
FIG. 10A shows a cup feeder 5 in a conventional cup-type vending machine. The cup feeder 5 comprises: cup delivery sections 5A, 5B, 5C which are provided according to cup sizes (S, M, L) and function to deliver a cup 24 based on the operation of rotation of a barrel 51 having on its periphery spiral grooves; a lever 52 integrally mounted on a ring (described later) which rotatively drives the barrel 51; a drive motor 2 which is rotated at the time of cup delivery operation; a torque transmission section 3 for transmitting the torque of the drive motor 2 to a rotating member 55; and a connecting member 54 for connecting the lever 52 to the rotating member 55 through a pin 53. As soon as the drive motor 2 is driven, the rotational motion created in the rotating member 55 is converted to reciprocating motion by an eccentrically rotating section 55a, and is transmitted to the lever 52.
FIG. 10B shows the barrel 51. As soon as the connecting member 54 connected through the pin 53 to the lever 52 integrally mounted on the ring 52A is displaced in a direction A, the ring 52A is rotated in a direction Axe2x80x2. The ring 52A has, in its internal circumference, a gear 52B engaged with a gear 51A mounted on a rotating shaft of the barrel 51. Upon the rotation of the ring 52A in the direction Axe2x80x2, the barrel 51 is rotated in a direction r1. As soon as the connecting member 54 is displaced in a direction B, the ring 52A is rotated in a direction Bxe2x80x2 to rotate the barrel 51 in a direction r2. The rotation of the barrel 51 in the direction r1, permits an edge 24A of the lowermost cup 24 to be held in a spiral groove, and, upon the rotation of the barrel 51 in the direction r2, the edge 24A is sent to the downward side of the barrel 51 in the paper. Consequently, the lowermost one cup is separated from the stacked cups 24, and is delivered downward.
The conventional cup feeding apparatus, however, needs to provide motors, wirings, and drive circuits, the number of which corresponds to the number of cup delivery sections mounted. This disadvantageously increases the apparatus cost, and, in addition, deteriorates the working efficiency of the assembly and the maintenance and inspection.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a cup feeding apparatus which can feed various cups without providing a plurality of drive sources and can realize excellent working efficiency of assembly and maintenance and inspection without increasing the apparatus cost.
According to the first feature of the invention, there is provided a cup feeding apparatus for feeding a cup from one cup feeder selected, according to a beverage to be sold, from a plurality of cup feeders respectively for a plurality of cup sizes, within a cup-type vending machine, said cup feeders for respective cup sizes each storing therein a plurality of corresponding cups stacked on top of one another, said cup feeding apparatus comprising:
a first rotating member which is rotated in a first or second rotation direction based on the rotation of a motor;
a second rotating member provided coaxially with the first rotating member;
a one-way clutch which, when the first rotating member is rotated in the first rotation direction, releases coupling between the first rotating member and the second rotating member, and, when the first rotating member is rotated in the second rotation direction, couples the first rotating member with the second rotating member;
a displacement mechanism for displacing the second rotating member in the axial direction according to the quantity of rotation of the first rotating member in the first rotation direction; and
a plurality of operating members which are provided so as to correspond to the plurality of cup feeders and, upon receipt of an external operation command, permits the plurality of cup feeders to perform cup feed operation,
said second rotating member being constructed so that the second rotating member is displaced to a position in the axial direction corresponding to a size selected from the plurality of sizes to directly or indirectly engage with one operating member selected from the plurality of operating members, thereby issuing the operation command to the one operating member.
According to the above cup feeding apparatus, two operations, the selection of an object to be driven and the transmission of driving force, are selectively executed by the second rotating member based on the rotation direction of the first rotating member.